Longqing Gorge

North of the Badaling Great Wall and 80 kilometers (50 miles) from downtown Beijing, you can discover Longqing Gorge, in northeast Yanqing County. The gorge, reputed to be the 'Little Three Gorges', features clear waters, wooded mountains, curious stones and wonderful karst caves. The gorge's main attractions are the Longqing Gorge Cruise, Baihua (hundred Flowers) Cave, and the Shenxianyuan (Immortal) and Jingang temples.

Near the entrance, a grand waterfall plummets down 50 meters (164 feet) from the dam above. A long, dragon-shaped escalator carries visitors to the dam, where the cruise begins. On both sides, eerie mountains and strange formations inspire visitors' imaginations as they have for centuries. You can marvel at the huge, natural Buddha stone and a hill rising from the water like a great bell. Another hill, named Fengguan (Phoenix Coronet) Isle, is considered the symbol of the Longqing Gorge. Fengguan is surrounded on three sides by water and closed off by high mountains on the fourth.

Visitors can experience the four seasons, from the heat of the tropics to the heart of the northeastern China, thanks to the colorful lights and elaborately crafted flowers in Baihua Cave. In the Shenxianyuan Temple area, several huge stones halfway up the cliff resemble chessboards. It's said that rubbing on the trunk of the tree near the edge of cliff can cure illnesses, but no one dares get close because of the extreme danger. The Yuhuang Peak is the highest in the area, and the teahouse at the peak offers a wonderful position from which to appreciate the scenery. In the Jingang Temple area, a hill looking like a pen gently dips into the water as if it were clearest ink. A karst cave nearby, Minting Coins Stove, is the place where two brothers made fake money to save the poor in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Every year, the Ice and Snow Festival, held from January to February in Longqing Gorge, displays many beautiful ice lanterns. During the festival, the marvelous ice waterfall together with the lanterns attracts many visitors. Except for the Ice and Snow Festival, Longqing Gorge only opens to visitors from April 10 to November 15.

Longqing Gorge is an ideal place to do extreme sports such as bungee-jumping (CNY 150 per person), rock-climbing or abseiling (CNY 50 per person). Taking a slideway and boating cost CNY 20 per person and CNY 20 per hour. Tickets for the cruise, the Baihua Cave, the Shenxianyuan Temple and the Jingang Temple are respectively CNY 60, 10, 20 and CNY 10 per person.

Admission Fee:	CNY 40
	CNY 70 during the Ice and Snow Festival
Opening Hours:	07:30-16:30	January 1- the end of February
		April 10-November 15
Bus Route:	919 Kuai (919 快) from Deshengmen to Yanqing Bus Station (德胜门-延庆汽车站), and then transfer to No.920 to the Longqing Gorge (龙庆峡).
	Take a tourist bus from Tiananmen (天安门) or Xuanwumen (宣武门) to the Longqing Gorge (available on weekends and Chinese legal holidays from April 7 to October 15)

Comments and Questions

Hi,

What are the opening hours for the Longqing Ice Festival? Can we view it at night? We hope to visit on Feb 27, 2010.

Reply2/21/2010 6:40:00 PMselina , Singapore

Lisa :2/21/2010 7:36:00 PM

The opening hours is 8:30-22:00, but there may be slight change.

Hello, I just wanted to double check that the dates mentioned above about the ice festival are still current-It is open on January 16th (Sat)? And which attractions will be open right now? Thanks

Reply1/13/2010 7:11:00 PMnolan

Fred :1/13/2010 8:10:00 PM

No, it is opened on Dec. 15, 2009, but it will last until the end of Feb., 2010.
The fifth Jiuzhaigou Ice-waterfall Tourism Festival was opened on Jan 09, 2010.

Hi, If my husband and I go the Longqing Gorge area this weekend, (December 12)are any of the areas going to be open?

Reply12/10/2009 7:32:00 PMkatherine , China

Bun :12/10/2009 7:37:00 PM

you can see from above that Longqing Gorge is open April 10-November 15, so it ha been closed now.

Does anyone know about catching the bus to Longqing during the ice festival in Febuary? Do the buses back to Beijing leave later in the evening? Thanks!

Reply11/16/2009 9:28:00 AMJo , Australia

Beijingren ( China ) :11/16/2009 8:44:00 PM

Hi Jo
You may first get to Deshengmen by metro, then catch the Bus No. 919 to Yanqing, then Bus 920 to Longqing Gorge. The last 920 return bus leaves at around 18:00.

hello, i'd like to tour the same day badaling great wall and longqing gorge. i'll be there 26-29 oct.
can you tell me which transportation i've to take?
thanks

Reply10/15/2009 10:25:00 AMfloriana , Italy

beijingren ( China ) :10/15/2009 10:57:00 PM

You can take the No. 919 from Deshengmen to Badaling Great Wall. After you finished your travel there, you can take the No. 919 to Yanqing Nan Cai Yuan where you transfer the No. 920 to Longqing Gorge.

Hi,

How do I contact the bungee jumping sites? I'd like to know if they're open the last week of October or the first one in November, when I'll be there.

Thanks.

Reply9/11/2009 9:27:00 AMMariel B , Sweden

BeijingTrip.com :9/12/2009 2:34:00 AM

Thanks for your inquiry.

The opening time of Longqingxia Scenic Area is from April 10 to November 15. So it should be open from the end of October to earlier November.

Yes, you can go camping there if you like.

Reply8/11/2009 8:57:00 PMBeijingren , China

There is any camping over there?

Reply8/11/2009 2:46:00 AMmaria , Brazil

Okay I've been looking all over the internet and haven't been able to figure out the exact transportation to and from LongQing Gorge. I understand the 919 Kurai from Deshengment to Yanqing Bus Station and etc, but does anyone know how to get back and when the buses leave?

Reply5/7/2009 11:45:00 PMAubrey Waterman , United States

BeijingTrip.com :5/10/2009 11:36:00 PM

Thanks for your enquiry.
You can just get back by taking the No.919 bus from Yanqing Bus Station. The earliest bus departs at 05:00 and the last at 18:00.